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(Read 6/2009) "Wouldn't Take Nothing for my Journey Now" and "Even the Stars Look Lonesome" by Maya Angelou. These two works are not part of the autobiographical series (six books) that begins with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." The two books I am discussing here are more like a collection of small vignettes which discuss various topics.

The wonderful thing about these two works and the later book of the same style, "Letter to my Daughter," is that they are chock full of sage advice and that they examine the human condition. I think that is what I personally love about Maya Angelou, she unabashedly and without any sense of shame or shyness lays out her experiences in life and has something everybody can relate to on the human level. One of the most amazing things about being a human being is that we can reflect on our experiences and learn from them and learn from the lives of others. We, as people, do not just exist moment to moment in a basic way like other species do.

The books cover so many topics, that I think it best perhaps to just list a few of them to give you a general idea of the types of things she discusses:

House vs. Home
Africa
Oprah Winfrey
Aging
Sensuality and Sexuality
Fame
Anger/Rage/Violence
Being a Woman
How to Live Well
The Power of Faith and Spirituality

These two books, like so many of her other published pieces, make on feel as if they are receiving sage advice, wisdom, and a sense of peace via conversations with a dear and beloved friend.